A Love Stronger than Steel
by Regnatrixa
Summary: Clary Morgenstern lives in a village. She live a hard, but happy life. What happens when a mysterious stranger appears and becomes her betrothed? And then gets kidnapped? Along the way she makes new friends and struggles to battle the tyrant that is seemingly trying to ruin everyone's lives.
1. Chapter 1

Life was hard in the village. And Clary thought it was hard too. She had chores every day which included feeding the animals, making bread and more. Clary longed for freedom like the fairytales she had read secretly since girls weren't allowed to learn. But that would never happen. Girls who were sixteen in her village were all betrothed to marry, but Clary was the only one left. She knew she would soon be engaged to marry.

"CLARISSA MORGENSTERN!"

Clary sighed, her mother was calling her for the fifth time. She got up from her mat and went outside of her family's roundhouse and saw her furious mother with her red flaming hair very much like her own.

"How many times do I have to tell you to help me with the meat!" her mother said angrily. "With your father and your brother gone, I need the extra help from you!"

Clary's father and her brother, Jonathan, with the some other selected men from village, had gone a diplomatic mission to a nearby village. So naturally, jobs that usually her father and brother did, she had to pitch in. Including butchering the cow.

Clary sighed and went to help her mother. She hated the sight of blood which was one of the reasons she dawdled in the first place.

Her mother's eyes softened.

"I know you hate it Clary, but I really need you. Besides, your father and brother are coming home this evening."

Clary's eyes brightened. She couldn't wait to tell her brother that she had finished the book Beowulf. Jonathan had given her the book secretly just before he left. She found the book exciting with the dragons and swords and yadda yadda.

o.O.o

After her mother and Clary had finished most of their chores, they headed to the courtyard of their village. Other people were there waiting for their husbands and sons. They made a way for Clary and her mother respectfully. This was one of the perks of having a father as the leader of their village. Jonathan, as the next leader, went with his father.

As they waited, small talk began. Soft snippets of gossip and the latest news of a scandal. Clary smiled. The typical talk of a village.

"BOO!" Someone yelled.

"EEK!" Clary screamed.

Everyone stared. Simon, her best friend came out of nowhere.

"Gotcha!" he yelled.

Clary's mother tutted. Clary turned red with embarrassment that matched her hair.

"Come on Simon," she hissed. "You're embarrassing me."

Before Simon could say anything in defense, the sound of horses was heard.

Clary's mother said excitedly, "There they come."

She could then see the pale blond hair of her father and brother. When the horses came to a complete stop, Clary raced to her brother, while her mother raced to her father.

"Jonathan!" Clary squealed. The siblings hugged and started talking. Jonathan had the same startling green eyes like she did. "I finished Beowulf and it was so amazing! I especially loved the ending."

"You finished it already? My, you finished twice as faster than me!" Jonathan said smiling broadly.

Clary then noticed someone she didn't know. Next to Jonathan was a young man a bit older than Clary with blond hair and golden eyes.

"Who's he?"

Jonathan replied with a clenched smile, "Father will explain."

Clary pondered this and wondered why her brother didn't like him. She then followed the rest of her family and the strange man to their roundhouse where they would have a feast.

o.O.o

When the food was about to be eaten, Clary's father stood up and said, "Thank you o' mighty gods for this meal and for our successful trip. Also much thanks for this man who is to be betrothed to my daughter, Clarissa."

"WHAT!" Clary yelled.

There was silence.

"Clarissa-"

"Clary," Clary said firmly.

"Well then Clary, this your betrothed and his name is-" her father was interrupted.

"Jonathan Herondale." the man said. "But you can call me Jace."


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: Characters belong to Cassie Clare, but the plot belongs to moi. :)**

Clary stormed out of their house.

_How could they, without asking me._ She thought furiously. She was only sixteen. _Well all the other girls in the village are married. _An annoying voice in her head said. _Well, Father could have at least asked me!_ Clary said angrily to herself.

"You have a habit of talking to yourself," a masculine voice said.

Clary whirled around, her red curls bouncing all over. "_What!"_

"I said, you have a habit of talking to yourself," her "betrothed" said.

"Well Mister, I am currently in a bad mood, so can you please go away?" Clary snapped.

"First of all, my name is Jace. Second of all, your father is getting a tad bit angry right now and is being nasty to everyone, including me!" Jace said. "So I volunteered to get to know you and come bring you back as no one wanted to do it."

" Well then tell my stuck-up father that I'm am never coming back!" Clary yelled.

"Don't think too rashly. Your father mentioned something about threatening to take away your paints and brushes." Jace said snarkily.

Clary paled, and ran back to their house before Jace can smirk.

The meal had already been over by the time Jace came back and Clary was there scowling and very red in the face. Her mother had given her a lot of scolding and her father was purposely ignoring her. Clary's brother, Jonathan, was scowling as much as Clary was. He gave Clary a very pointed look of dislike when Jace entered the roundhouse.

"Ah, Jonathan," Clary's father, Valentine said.

"Please call me Jace," Jace said pleasantly.

"Well then Jace, I assume you met my daughter, Clary?" Valentine asked.

"Yes she's a feisty girl," Jace replied. "I like her."

"Well I hope you can rein her in," Clary's father said. "I love her dearly, it's just, she is just wild."

"Don't worry," Jace assured him.


End file.
